Watchmaker&#39;s tool



Feb. 29, 1944.

,P.- A. HARMON wmcnmxmns TOOL Filed June 26 1942 Patented Feb. 29, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,343,057 -WATCHMAKERS TOOL Percy A. Harmon, Scottsburg, Ind. Application June .26, 1942, Serial No. 448,641

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a watchmakers tool and particularly one for setting the roller jewels of watches.

It is particularly aimed to provide a tool capable of use by watchmakers either in initially assembling a watch or in repairing the same, to set a roller jewel tight and true and I further aim to provide such a tool which will accommodate and hold roller tables either single or double, whether on or off their balance wheels, with the top of th roller table up and the jewel hole outward or disposed at a slight angle.

The more specific objects and advantages will in part be pointed out and otherwise become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawing illustrating an operative embodiment by way of example.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the watchmakers tool;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of the upper portion of the tool looking from the reverse side to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view of the parts of Figure 2 taken at the left thereof;

Figure 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a detail showing the upper ends of the jaws of the tool, fragmentarily and in 'section, with a roller table gripped thereby;

- Figure 6 is a top or end view of the jaws; Figure '7 is a fragmentary elevation of jaws according to a second or modified form, and

Figure 8 is a top or end view of the jaws of Figure 7. Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts throughout the views thereof, I employ a tong-like device generally designated I0 which is adapted to' grip and hold various sizes of single or double roller tables my conventional one of which is shown at I I in Figure 5. The device I0 is adapted for rotation and detachable support on a shank such as I2, carried by a handle I3a. The said tong-like device I0 consists of two levers I3 disposed in cross relation. One of such levers I3 is journaled on a ground or bearing portion I4 of a stud bolt generally designated IS. The other lever I3 is rigidly fastened at a square opening occupied by a similarly shaped portion I6 on the stud bolt I5, portion I6 being upset in the square opening referred to whereby the last mentioned lever and stud bolt cannot turn relatively to each other. One lever l3 bears 7 to be received between the disks.

against a shoulder afforded by a flange I! on the stud bolt and the other lever I3 bears against an upset end I8 and washer I9 at the free on of the journaled portion I4.

At one end, levers I3 have jaws or tips 20 between which roller tables are gripped and held as shown in Figure 5, the table being designated I I as aforesaid and of any desired size and range of sizes, whether single or double, and whether on or off the balance wheel. Opposed slots or grooves 2| in the jaws or tips 20 better accommodate various thicknesses of roller table II, the base walls of the grooves 2I being arcuate and at divergent angles as in Figure 6, to always present to the workman, the same view of that portion of the roller table in which he is to set the jewel. At the other ends, the levers l3 have ears 22, preferably enlarged as shown. The ears are'adapted to be subjected to'heat in order to render fluid, cement which is used in securing roller jewels in the roller table. To this end, the levers I3 are of a material of high heat conductivity and preferably of copper.

Jaws I3 are normally urged into contact at their tips 20 by a wirespring 23 anchored to the stud bolt I5 and having another terminal 24 in hooked engagement with the pivoted jaw or lever l3.

Adjacent one end' ofthe stud bolt I5, a pair of spaced disks, flanges or heads 25 are provided integral therewith, forming a groove 25 therebetween. Spring 23 is anchored between one of the disks 25 and flanges I1. By reverting to the shank I2, it has a longitudinal slot 21 open at the upper end adapted to be detachably engaged by that portion of the stud bolt I5 between the disks 25 and the adjacent portions of the shank The device I0 is thus detachably fastened in the shank I2. Such attachment will enable the device Ill as a whole to the rotated on the axis of the stud bolt l5 while the stud bolt is so positioned but normally, the stud bolt does not turn relatively to the shank I2 because of the friction and pressure applied thereto by a leaf spring 28 riveted at 29 to the shank I2.

It is clear that the stud bolt, shank and spring 28 may be made of any suitable materials, preferably metal. In using the tool, the ends 20 of the tong clip the roller jewel at its circumference and on a center with the staff hole thus allowing the workman a clear view of the half of the roller table II in which the jewel is to be set. With the roller table clipped in place, the handle I39. is now held in the left hand and the tongs II) swung at right angles to the handle with the roller towards the workman. The ears or wing ends 22 are now heated over a small alcohol lamp for a few seconds at which point a small quantity of jewel cement is applied to the hole. One end of the jewel is now placed in the hole and the tool heated again to bring the cement to a fluid state after which it is allowed to cool for a few seconds. The jewel must now be uprighted. These jewelsvare made mostly halfround. The flat side of the jewel must be set parallel with the crescent of the roller table. This is accomplished first in the uprighting process, as subsequent moving of the jewel to bring it upright seldom changed this adjustment. Bringing the flat surface of the jewel in line with the crescent is done instantly by swinging the tongs at right angles to the handle I3a, with the roller table II away from the workman and the wings 22 toward him. The jewel is then grasped in the points of a pair of fine tweezers as the inside edge of the tweezers is held parallel to the crescent of the roller table. Now with the flat in line," proceed with the uprighting by swinging the tongs In parallel to the handle I30. and straighten the jewel up in this meridian by touching gently with the tweezer point. Then swing the tongs Ill to right angles to the handle l3a with the roller table and jewel towards the Workman, and gently upright in this meridian. All three adjustments can quickly be checked by swinging the tongs l0 through the various positions. The tongs are swung about by pushing with the tweezers. If the proper amount of cement has been used no cleaning up will be necessary and the job is completed. The work is released by inserting the tweezers between the jaws of the tongs 10 thus forcing them apart and allowing the work to fall out on the bench top.

A modified form of the tool is disclosed in Figures 7 and 8. In this form, the jaws or tips 20' correspond to those at 20, being of the same material and the construction otherwise being the same. The method of operation is also the same. This form is used to hold roller tables where the roller is in place on its balance wheel. The tips 20 to this end are cut away on longitudinally extending inwardly converging surfaces and also along aligned diagonal transverse surfaces 3|. With such a construction of the tips, they wedge securedly under the circumference of the roller table edge and allow an unobstructed view of the roller table where the jewel is to be set. While either form of the invention may be made in any desired size to accommodate any desired range of sizes of the watch parts, yet in practice I prefer to use the form of Figures 7 and 8 where the roller tables are smaller than the twelve-size and to use the other form of the invention where the roller tables are of eighteen, sixteen and twelve-size whether or not the roller tables are attached or detached from their balance wheels.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A watchmakers tool comprising vertically pivoted jaws, an upright supporting means therefor having a slot in its upper end, means mounting the jaws detachably and rotatably in the slot, and means resiliently and frictionally engaging the last mentioned means while located in said slot to normally prevent rotation of the jaws as a whole relatively to the supporting means.

2. A tool of the class described comprising a stud member, relatively movable levers mounted by said stud member, a support, a stud member pivotally mounted on the support, and resilient means to apply friction to an end of the stud member to normally prevent rotation of the stud member relatively tothe support.

3. A tool of the class described comprising a stud member, a jaw on and immovable relatively to the stud member, a jaw pivoted on the stud member, said jaws having coacting gripping edges and approximately coplanar ears in a plane at a right angle to the axis of movement of the jaws, spring means coacting with the stud and the jaws and located between the stud and the gripping edges of the jaws to urge said gripping edges toward each other, a support, said stud member being extended beyond the jaws and provided with an annular groove to detachably and rotatably mount said stud on said support.

4. A tool of the class described comprising a stud member, a jaw on and immovable relatively to the stud member, a jaw pivoted on the stud member, said jaws having coacting gripping edges, spring means coacting with the stud and the jaws and located between the stud and the gripping edges of the jaws to urge said gripping edges toward each other, a support, and means to detachably and rotatably mount said stud on said support, said levers being of copper and having approximately coplanor ears thereon.

5. A tool of the class described comprising a stud member, a jaw on and immovable relatively to the stud member, a jaw pivoted on the stud member, said jaws having coacting gripping edges, spring means coacting with the stud member and the jaws to urge the gripping edges thereof toward each other, a support, means to detachably and rotatably mount said stud member on said support, said levers having enlargements to facilitate heating thereof, and a spring on the support in frictional engagement with the stud member to normally hold it against rotation relatively to the support.

PERCY A. HARMON. 

